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House Arlington
House Arlington is among the more infamous noble houses of Granthel, both in the Gardens and outside of them, albeit for very different reasons. Within the Gardens, members of the house are held in high regard as the living embodiment of classical Highborn culture. Being on friendly terms with an Arlington means respecting what it means to be of Granthelian nobility. Outside the Gardens, the Arlingtons are universally despised and often painted as bigoted, elitist inbreds. History Founded in the late 5th century of the Third Era, House Arlington finds itself among the older houses still roaming the Gardens to this day. Originally, they were a wealthy family of artists and revolutionaries that migrated to Granthel because some their ideas were incompatible with the Alenthylian way of life and in particular the religion of the Holy Light. They had a hand in shaping the lavish Highborn culture as it is today, and often use this fact to legitimize their self-proclaimed status as the keepers of sophisticated Granthelian culture. Significance The Arlington line takes its significance entirely from the mere existence of Highborn culture, having long since vowed to uphold it to the best of their abilities. They hold culture in extremely high regard, going to great lengths to preserve and record the way of life prevalent in the Gardens. Due to this, they are extremely elitist, adhering to a strict class system that places the nobility of Granthel far above the common folk. According to them, the peasantry exists solely to serve those of noble birth. Selective breeding is another source of the House’s infamy. The shorter and more beautiful their members are, the more Granthelian they are in the eyes of the family. Partners for marriage are sought out based solely on desirable qualities and appearance, paying little attention to the House they are from as long as its bloodline is pure and noble. Bearing many children is encouraged, so that any ones deemed to not fit the standards of the family may be sent to join the military and have no children, or even be disowned entirely in some cases. As a result of this emphasis on beauty, most members of the family are extremely vain and value personal hygiene immensely. The mere thought of peasants dirtying themselves in the streets of the Bulwarks is appalling to them. In the physical realm, the family’s most significant contribution of the great city of Granthelia is the construction and maintenance of the Arlington Opera House, often touted as the premier center of more sophisticated forms of song, dance and theater. The large and imposing building stands right by one of the entrances to the Highborn Gardens, so that noble audience members do not have to venture far from their homes, and lowborn performers do not sully the streets of the Gardens unnecessarily. Entrance fees are exorbitantly high, though of course substantial discounts are offered to anyone who has noble blood under the guise of cultural education. Relationships Needless to say, the Arlingtons absolutely despise any noble house that freely associates with commoners, especially the ones that actively aim to help them. Marriages with commoner families, even to increase the chance of a Gifted child, is seen as abhorrent and an insult to Highborn culture in their eyes. This places them at odds with a good number of houses, such as House Hargrave, House Eastbow and House Corell. On the other hand, the Arlingtons have found their greatest allies in House Sinclair, who share some of their views on highborn supremacy. Category:Families